Run From Me
by StolenHope
Summary: Sequel of Walk With Me published under Pen name Lusting Hatred. Ten years later Goten is forced to go back to where it all began. How will it turn out. GtxTr. Warnings: Coarse Language, Yaoi, ummmm... probably more. R&R please. Rated M for safety
1. Chapter 1

Silk sheets, down pillows and the most comfy duvet I have ever had but this is all fake… it's not mine. I long for the old days, the days in high school, the days before him, before he messed up my life.

He, Trunks Briefs, forced me from my home, from my family, from my friends but that isn't why I hate him. He could've forced me away with him and I would've been happy, could've forced me into hiding, with him I would be thrilled, but he destroyed me, he made me incapable of loving again… I haven't since, not after ten years.

How did he do that? This is hard for me to remember because it was the greatest joy in my life mixed with the worst pain. He made me fall in love with him; I also was brought to the impression that he loved me. He took me to prom, we shared a dance and I was in ecstasy before I found out he didn't love me, that it was all for a stupid bet. I left that night and ended up here.

I live in Hollywood now. I have a great life or would from anyone else's point of view. I started out here at 17 years old, living with three roommates, working on scenery for bad plays that put me through college for special effects. From there I began to work on movie lots and now I own a modest house, a single story bungalow and have enough money to live in luxury.

I had tried to cut every tie to my old life and succeeded for the most part; I did still talk to my old best friend and her husband now, Uub, but that was the extent of continuing with my old life. My new life was Kyle Rice, special effect artist.

If you had told me this was how I would be spending my life ten years ago, I would've laughed. I was happy then even before he had come into my life. I was just myself and that was what made me happy.

I rolled out of bed and walked into my bathroom to take my morning shower. It was strange how life had turned out and a part of me always wondered if I would have had a life like this if I hadn't packed up and left. Not that I would want it if it meant that the empty beating in my heart would finally be full.

As I turned the water to the shower on, my cell phone began to ring from my bathroom counter. It was always left in here to charge, just seemed like the easiest place to leave it so I never forgot it; right beside my toothbrush.

"Talk," I spoke after hitting the accept caller button.

There was a loud shriek and instantly I recognized the voice of Marron, "You will NEVER believe what happened!"

"What? Did Trunks announce his engagement to that blue haired bimbo that is always tagging along beside him?" my voice was less then enthusiastic and an acidic taste filled my mouth at the mention of his name, it hurt to say his name.

"I thought Trunks was a no-no for our conversations? Or has that finally changed?" Marron's voice was smug but instead of waiting for me to answer, she continued, "Anyways do you want to hear the news?"

"Fine, what's the big news?" I asked in a monotone just to annoy her, annoying her was still one of my favourite activities.

"Top Buzz finally released their top ten most eligible bachelors for this year and guess what?"

"Trunks is number one again? Really? You had to call to tell me that?" Again that acidic taste had washed up my throat.

"That's obvious but the big surprise is who is number three," her voice was smug again and gloating as goose bumps ripped over my body.

"Who?" I said dreading the answer that I was petrified to hear.

I could see her smiling into the phone and she spoke the words extra carefully, "Kyle Rice."

And that was it. I was shocked. I was annoyed. I was angry. I was surprised. I was gloating. I was everything. I didn't have anything to say, couldn't think of anything, not one word made sense for the way I was feeling and I didn't know which emotion would win in the struggle over the others. In any case, I knew I had only made the list because I had money; which I didn't use often, and the looks to boot.

"Goten? Hold on, I have the article right here, give me one second." She muttered into the phone.

I heard her rummaging in her bag, muttering hold on and wait and I almost felt a need to laugh. Marron had always carried around everything in her bag, even when we were younger and for her to find anything in it was laughable, but she always had to try.

"Marron, I will just buy a copy on my way to…" but my sentence was cut off by a shrill sound, something metallic and loud.

"Marron?" I said into the phone but hearing nothing.

I pulled the phone from my head and saw a symbol meaning the call had been lost so I hit the call back button but the symbol just popped up again.

My mind began to fill with panic as I tried another time with no luck. I could feel my head sinking into a daze, my heart flaring in my chest and the sickening feeling overlapping my full body. Something had definitely happened and I needed to know. I called the first person that popped into my head. Uub.

Dialling as fast as my fingers would I allow I finally got through and as soon as he answered I screamed into the phone, "Find Marron! I think something happened!" I was frantic and freaking out and he was always the one to stay calm.

"Goten, calm down, what happened?"

"Uub! You have to go find Marron! She called me and then there was a metallic sound and the phone cut out and you have to go find her!" I screamed again.

"Goten, it was probably nothing, I will find her and call you back when I can."

The phone disconnected and I stood there. My mind was hazy and nothing was making sense at the moment. It was one of those surreal moments that you choose not to believe, one of those times when you are sure it's not real… a dream, it must all be a dream!

I turned to the shower and shut the water off before slowly moving towards my bed. I was numb all over and my head was throbbing with questions and I had no way on getting any until Uub got back to me, unless this was a dream.

I crawled into bed and waited. I don't know what I was waiting for but I waited. I waited to wake up. I waited for my phone to begin ringing in my hand. I waited for a divine presence to make me understand.

The first hour passed and I noticed that tears were rolling down my face.

The second hour passed and I noticed that I was feeling nauseous.

The third hour passed and reality crushed me. I wasn't going to wake up. Whatever had happened had ACTUALLY happened.

Just a little before the forth hour hit, my phone began to ring and I lifted it to my ear and tried to speak but only a loud breath came out.

"You were right. She was in an accident," Uub's voice was like nothing I had ever heard before… it was tortured, "She isn't expected to live but she's on life support right now, please come home."

Please. Come. Home. Those three words make sense thinking about them separately but together they were foreign to me, they were alien because I had no home. I would have to go back to the place that destroyed me once upon a time for Uub and for Marron but that was not my home.

"I will catch the next flight I can find…" I spoke into the phone in no more then a whisper, "I'll be there by tomorrow, don't let her die on me."

* * *

Ummm, been struggling on the third chapter for god knows how long... writers block. Inspire me people.

Dedicated to Tetisheri for trying to help me through my writer's block...


	2. Chapter 2

The flight was terrible, the meal was repulsing and movie sucked but none of that compared to the feeling of heartache and dread that washed over me the very second that my feet touched the ground. I was flooded with the memories of my last year here and couldn't help but want to cry although I knew I was long out of tears for Trunks.

I was now sitting in the back of a taxi on the way to the hospital and I was silently dreading the second I reached it. I knew for however painful it was now, it would be so much worse when I saw that building.

_I stared at him surprised that he had woken up. I would never have admitted it but the whole time my chest had been throbbing, I was petrified to have him die._

"_Trunks are you okay?" I asked looking at his shocked reaction from my voice; it really didn't seem that bad, maybe he wasn't upset that I had stayed afterwards._

"_Goten… You weren't wearing that earlier, were you?" Figures he would immediately jump to my clothes, wish he would say something else really._

I felt the tears burning in my eyes and the throbbing pain spreading through my body. I had to go though; I had to go for Marron, for Uub.

The Taxi came to a stop and I shoved the money into the man's hand before racing into the doors of the hospital with my duffle bag slung over my shoulder. Immediately that sickening feeling rushed over me as I passed through the automated doors and headed towards the receptions desk.

"Kyle Rice?" She spoke her eyes going wide with a star struck expression.

"Marron Urawa, where is she?" I said staring at the woman who immediately began typing the name into her computer.

"She is in the ICU, unless you are a blood relative or married to her, I can't let you see her," The woman refused to meet my eyes and I decided to use my newly acquired fame.

"I have just been on a plane for about 12 hours that I had to catch last second and all I want to do is see my best friend, can't you help me at all?" I tried to make my voice sound as smooth as silk but it still seemed to burn in my throat.

"What room is Marron Urawa in?" The voice was strong and familiar. It came crashing onto my all at once. I didn't know what exactly to do.

"Mister… Briefs…" The nurse said looking between the two of us as I tried to tilt myself so he wouldn't notice me, "I can't believe this, Trunks Briefs, Top Buzz's number 1 bachelor and the number 3 bache…"

"I'm sorry, I have to go, I will be back soon," I said running deeper into the hospital to get away from him.

I stopped after five minutes or so and sat onto the floor. I didn't look at him at least, that should help the pain. It hurt so much though to actually hear his voice, no matter how many times I imagined it or dreamt about it, it didn't compare to the real thing.

I pulled out my cell phone and dialled in Uub's number and waited.

"Goten where are you?" He whispered into the phone.

"I take it that Tr… He's there?" I said breathing heavily to calm the blazing fire that had enclosed around my heart.

"Yes, I will try to get him out of here as quick as I can, just wait where you are," He whispered again quickly before the line disconnected.

I slide the phone into my pocket and wrapped my arms around my knees. How long had I been up for? I glanced down at my watch and saw the time. It may have been late morning but my time was still two in the morning. I was more then a little exhausted.

I rested my forehead on my arms and shut my eyes. Uub, hurry and call me… before I pass out.

_I heard the crash and my eyes shot open only to wish that I kept them shut because he was standing right in front of me._

"_Funny you would ever show your face here again," He said smiling, "You caused this all, it's your fault, if you weren't so pathetic and weak Marron would be fine."_

"_What?" Was all that could escape my lips._

"_If you hadn't packed up and ran like the scared little wimp you are, she would be fine!" His hands balled into fists at his side._

_I pulled myself up against the wall and stared at him, "It's not my fault…"_

_He grabbed a hold of the front of my shirt and raised his fist, "It's all your fucking fault!" His fist began closing the distance towards my face._

"No!" I jumped out of my sleep and looked around at a nurse that had been kneeling beside me.

The nurse's older face was basking in a shocked expression before she managed to whisper out, "Kyle Rice?"

I stood up and began to walk away before she called after me, "Or would you prefer Son Goten."

I stopped and slowly turned to look back at her. I couldn't remember her face, she looked like a complete stranger and I was afraid to find out how she knew.

"I am Nurse Kisaichi, we met years ago when you brought Trunks Briefs into the hospital," She said moving forward and smiling, "I am glad to see you came to see Marron, her husband has been looking for you."

I bit my lip and nodded and she began to lead the way. I could feel the tears burning in my eyes and for a second I almost said to myself that I wished I hadn't come, I wish I didn't have to deal with this but I needed to say goodbye to her, she was my best friend I had ever had.

"I must warn you Kyle, she is in very rough shape, she isn't expected to make it…" The nurse said stopping at the elevator, "Our doctors thought she would have been dead by now but she's holding on."

I couldn't talk; reality was hitting on me to hard. It was too painful to hear.

The elevator's doors began to open and I looked up to see his lavender hair hanging over his face as he stared at the floor. He looked troubled and directionless; he looked as if he was hurting.

"Kyle, come on, we mustn't waste anytime," The nurse said as she pulled me into the elevator and pressed the third floor button.

I breathed in deep and balled my fists praying that he didn't look up, didn't notice me. I stared forward as the doors closed and the elevator began to move; only a bit longer.

The doors opened to the second floor and two elderly women entered the elevator smiling as they carried on a light conversation.

The doors opened to the third floor and I moved forward expecting the nurse to fallow, "She's in room 211, Goten, I'm sorry," she said through the closing doors but those blue eyes burst up in time to see me through the closing doors.

I slowly walked with my emotions numb. He knew I was here, I should be worried and afraid, be having my heart ripped open time and time again but all I could think was that my best friend would be passing away and this was my last time I would see her.

I put my hand onto the door handle and took a deep breath in unsure of what to expect. Slowly, the handle turned in my hand and the door creaked open. Five short steps in and I could see the room. I could see her laying there, bandages around her body, a ventilator controlling her breathing, and a couple of IV drips attached to her arm.

"Marron…" I whispered as I took each step closer and closer, "I'm sorry…" I could feel the tears rolling down my cheeks, "I'm here at last, I should've come to visit sooner," and I took her hand in mine.

I stood there with her hand in mine and the tears rolling down my checks for a couple of hours. I was aware of Uub standing with me and could her a ruckus in the hallway but I didn't want to move, I felt if I didn't move we could stay like this forever, like time wouldn't stop.

I concentrated on the beeping of the heart monitor, I wanted to hear her recovery, I wanted to believe that now I was back, she would get better, she would live.

Beep. Beep. Beep. .

I turned to face the monitor as a team of nurses and doctors rushed in and quickly pushed me back. It was over though; I knew she was gone forever.

* * *

KK, so that is chapter two, like I have said, i am still having writer's block but am trying to shake out of it. I will be publishing whatever i have done from the last week, with all my stories, every saturday or sunday, enjoy everyone. Reviews and PMs are appreciated and I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as i enjoyed writing it... not that i enjoyed killing Marron.

PS Marron's and Uub's last name are unknown. The name i choose for Uub is actually the last name of his voice actor.


	3. Chapter 3

This town brought nothing but misery and pain. For years and years I denied the fact but it was quite obvious now. My personality hadn't changed but I wasn't seen as a freak anymore and I had a social life but when I was here, I had one friend and now… well, I had nothing here anymore. I had been running from this town, attempting to stay out of it's lifeless pull, just to have it find a way to loop me back in; to set me up for another devastating blow to my heart – at least what was left of it. I will never come back, not after this.

"Another one," I said pushing the empty glass across the counter.

Guilt was circling around me and I wish that I could blend into my surroundings, to be invisible at will. I wanted nothing more then to sit and pull myself deeper into my alcohol relief but it was not helping with the guilt.

I had left the moment they pronounced Marron dead. I had run from it, maybe I was hoping that if I didn't face it, it wouldn't happen or maybe if I wasn't around, if I had just disappeared it would've been avoided. Either case though, I left Uub by himself, I left him in total despair.

The bartender gave me a questionable look as if trying to decide if I was capable of handling another drink but, nonetheless, made another whiskey sour for me and left it sitting in front of me.

I stared into the green mixture and continued to run in laps in my head. Marron was gone and it was my fault. She had seen the article and just because she knew I wouldn't read it myself, she had called me. She knew my schedule and she knew her best shot was to call me before work. It was all my fault.

"You're hitting those pretty hard," a seductive and musical voice came from the seat next to me.

"I need it," I muttered without looking towards the woman. My eyes were still focused on my drink but my mind was running back to the days in high school, back to before we had anything to be depressed about.

"Anything you want to talk about hun?" I didn't see her do it but I could tell that she had leaned in a little closer.

I ripped my eyes away from the glass and turned towards the woman. She was tall and skinny with a tender smile and full lips but none of those had caught my attention at first. It was the eyes. Those eyes were like the waves of the ocean; you could drown in them if you looked to long.

"No, not really, more something I want to forget," I muttered as I lifted the glass to take a long sip; the burn in my throat relieved the pain and guilt for a moment.

"I don't think that drinking will help you forget but I know that talking about it will help you reconcile it."

I looked over towards her again and took in the full sight of her. She was in a black suit with a red blouse under. Her hair was blue and her skin was fair but it just pulled in her full appeal. That's when I realized that I knew her.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as bitter as possible. She was the woman that was always right next to Trunks in every picture the media published and she had the nerve to come up to me.

She sighed and took a quick sip of the clear liquid in her glass, "Well, I see that you know who I am…" She said stirring her drink with the straw, "Well, I guess I should introduce myself. I am Bura Briefs, what would you prefer to be called, Kyle or Goten?"

I lifted my glass and downed the last portion of my drink before pulling out my wallet, "From you, I would prefer to be left alone. I guess your husband has told you about me, probably got a good laugh out of it but I would prefer to keep you both out of my life."

"Running from your past?" She said as she lifted the glass back to her lips and crossed her legs.

I pulled out a couple of twenties and laid them on the counter before climbing to my feet and having a short dizzy spell, "I am not running from my past, not anymore. I am here, in town, but I am not forgiving what that asshole did to me…"

"Falling in love with you?"

My anger was flaring right through the roof. He may have told her who I was but not what had actually happened, "He didn't fall in love with me, he won his fucking bet. You know, I bet you would've heard the entire story if you had talked to him with your legs closed."

I picked up my jacket and made my way towards the door but her voice carried to my ears, "You ran then and you are running now."

That hit right home. I turned towards her and spoke very clearly, "With good fucking reason. He played me then and you're playing me now. You are kicking the man on the floor, that's low. You both deserve each other. You both are manipulative assholes."

I could feel the whole bar looking between the two of us as everything around went silent. Her eyes were wide but her body language suggested that she had been expecting this kind of reaction.

"Goten, you're –"

"No, I am done talking. I don't know why you showed up here but I'm sure that he put you up to it, so I have a request. When you go home tonight, when you are laying in bed next to him, when he kisses you, just let him know that my response was for him will always be to fuck off."

I left the bar, hit the streets and began shaking. My chest burned and I wasn't sure what had been worse. That my first and only love had sent his slut to torture and manipulate me, or that when I really needed someone, he was the only person I could think of.

I dug my hand deep into my pocket and pulled out my phone but I just stared at it. I knew that my bags would be at Uub's house, that he would be waiting by the phone for my call, that he would drive all night to get me if I asked him but I couldn't do it, he was probably in the same state as me.

I forced my fingers onto the buttons, hitting each one before lifting it to my ear.

"Goten?" His voice was panicked.

"Yeah, it's me."

"Oh, sorry, was hoping you were someone else." His voice was still a little panicked but it was calmer.

My mind was still hazy but it all clicked in fast enough, "He's there with you?"

"Yeah," his voice cracked and I knew that their would be tears rolling down his face, "The funeral is going to be on Tuesday, if you need a hotel, the quality sweets isn't that far from my house."

"Did you get me a room?" I asked a little confused.

"Yeah, it's really nice there, their breakfast bar is amazing."

"Is my luggage there too?"

"Yeah, I would love to have you over but I have this obsessed stalker taking over my guest room even though he lives less then twenty minutes away."

I heard his voice in the background but couldn't make out what he was saying. It was muffled through my drunken state.

"Thanks Uub, I owe you one."

"Yeah, you too, I'll come by to see you tomorrow."

The phone disconnected and my hands dropped to my side. Even with Marron gone, I was still being protected from him; Uub was protecting me.

* * *

Sorry that this is so late. I had a huge case of writer's block in the beginning, then when it finally broke I was too busy to sit at my computer for any length in time. Here is the new chapter. I promise the next won't take so long. I am sitting down to begin writing it now.


	4. Chapter 4

It was dark and the stars were shining brighter then ever. The air was brisk but it smelt like summer. My mind was soaring but with only one thought. Trunks Briefs, the very thing I couldn't take my eyes off tonight.

"They are beautiful aren't they?" His velvet voice intoxicated me, "The stars I mean."

I turned my head and glanced towards the sky, "Second best view tonight."

I remembered that he would always laugh at my corny comments, always make a chuckle even if they weren't funny but I heard nothing and that was the first cue that something truly was off.

"Right," he finally responded and I sensed him climbing to his feet although I refused to look over.

I began to strain my mind. I remembered growing up, I remembered high school with Marron… Marron….

Reality slapped me in the face and all facts made their selves known. This was a dream, this wasn't reality, it was going to hurt… that I was sure about.

"I sometimes wonder if I made the right decision," He said making it sound more like a monologue but after having this dream many times before I knew what was coming and I really couldn't be bothered to hear it from him anymore.

"Taking the bet?" I said balling my first, "You stare up to the stars and you know that you made the right decision. After I left you began to enjoy high school again, even picked up where you left off with your old friends?"

"Exactly, I am glad you understand."

I really didn't understand why my mind would ever be doing this to me. I guess it was my subconscious trying to reassure my conscious thoughts that any hope that I had left of him loving me was completely false and that I should finally give up.

"You know that after I left my life became better too," I start beginning to feel the fabricated sting in my hand, "I am a huge name in Hollywood! Countless woman fallow me around – hell, I won third top bachelor! I can have my pick of any…."

"But all you want is me," His words cut mine off but they were the truth, all I wanted was him.

I climbed to my feet and turned to face him, "And you are the one thing I will never allow myself to have."

"Them forget me." His words were becoming monotone as if my subconscious was attempting to make me believe that he had no residues feelings for me.

I don't know exactly why but it angered me more then ever. I wish that I had just allowed the dream to play out as it had the countless times before, I wish I had allowed him to break my heart and I woke up to the damp tears rolling across my cheeks… this was a mistake.

Before I know that I was doing my fist was flying through the air and upon colliding with his jaw… my eyes popped open.

I was back to reality but no relief was found due to the throbbing drilling itself through my skull. The liquor may have helped in a short-term period but today it seemed almost unbearable. The worse thing was that I liked the pain; it was such a relief to the normal pain of heartache that usually fallowed the dream.

I sat up and grabbed my phone off the bedside table to see that I had received a text message from Uub saying that Trunks had not left yet and probably wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. After my dream last night though I had a new light in me; an impulsive shine, that seemed to be pulling me home – my old home.

I reached over and picked up the phone before pressing 11, which connected me to the main lobby.

"Good morning Mr. Rice, we trust that you had a pleasant night sleep," The representative of the hotel answered.

"Yes, I suppose I did," I answer a little stunned at my own response, "I was hoping that you would be able to phone a taxi for me to arrive in about thirty minutes."

"Yes sir Mr. Rice," the representative responded, "But we do have a matter that we must discuss with you."

"Is there a problem with my room?"

"No sir but early this morning a woman arrived and she claimed to be an old friend of yours, attempted to get your room number and also to steal a master key from a room attendant to gain access to your room. She says her name is Bura Briefs, would you like us to press charges against her?"

There was a moment of panic that was quickly washed into a wave of enjoyment. I could all but imagine the face of Trunks when he heard that his little tramp of a wife was arrested for stalking the man in whose life he ruined…. Karma, have I ever told you that I love you?

"Well, honestly, I do not know her but she has been fallowing me the past couple of days. I am unsure why you would be asking me about whether to press charges or not since it seems to me that all her intentions were more problematic to the hotel then me, I would assume that it would be the hotel's choice to press charges," I knew that but the way I phrased my words that the representative would realise that I did want her charge but at the same time I would be in no way involved in her arrest.

"Very well Mr. Rice, your cab will be here on time."

I hung up the phone as I sat up in bed with a smile on my face. It seems that life just became a little bit sweeter.

* * *

Kk, short chapter but with a touch of bitter sweet humor. Again for those who havent heard, my computer is now fixed and I can start updating and posting again although I lost all my computer files (not including blackberry stuff) so stuff I had done needs to be restarted.

This chapter is dedicated to 101848 for understanding the balance of the universe and for not making civilization around us crash... that, I guess, would now be an inside joke between us.

I will be starting the next chapter right after I post the bleach oneshot I have on my blackberry.

Cheers.


	5. Chapter 5

It was like a surge of confidence that brought me back here, brought me back to the house that I grew up, and it still looked the way I remember. The gardens were modest around the front of the house, the trees still hid the house from being seen from the road and the house's paint job still showed the weather damage – we were planning on painting it during the summer before I left for college…

I pulled my vibrating phone from my pocket as I walked towards the house. There we a text message from Uub saying "Safe to come, Trunks went to family for lunch".

I shoved the phone back into the depths of my pocket and took a second to think the news over. I had run from this place to seek a sanctuary from Trunks but coming back my sanctuary was taken away from me so I returned to the very place I had originally ran from. Irony… what a bitch.

I sighed deeply and forced my face into a smile as I pressed the doorbell. I had to keep reminding myself that a mother's love was unconditional, that she would be happy to see me, that the door wouldn't be slammed in my face but still there was a twinge of fear. I was afraid to be here. I haven't spoken to my home since I left. I did send letters to her but they all went through Marron, my mother was never able to write back to me, she might even have moved.

The door opened a crack and I saw the familiar eyes of my mother peering out for a moment before she hesitantly opened the door fully making sure to keep a hand on the knob on her side.

Her jaw was clenched together and I could see the tears in her eyes that she was fighting not to spill. She was overcome with emotion but she just stared at me as though she was still unsure it was me. I wondered to myself if she had had countless dreams of this. Wondered if she had opened the door to strangers that looked vaguely like me only to have her hopes crushed.

Her head slowly dropped so I couldn't see her eyes but I could hear the sobs in her voice as she spoke, "I was sorry to hear about Marron."

I wondered where this was coming from and thoughts of her next words began to leak there way into my mind. _But after all this time I don't want you here_ or _even if you are full of grief you have a new life and so do I_ kept playing out in my head. There were no positive thoughts at all.

"I am a terrible person," She said her hand moving from the doorknob to pinch the bridge of her nose, "I played this exact thought in my head. Imagined that you would show up for her funeral and come to see me. I think I even may have wished for it and now that it's coming true, I know I am a terrible person."

I wish that I had the perfect words to say, to tell her that it wasn't her fault in the littlest but I knew for a moment like this, there was nothing I could say so instead I just moved forward and put my arms around her.

"Mom, I was going to visit soon. I just had to wait for the hurt to stop," I said and instantly I was thankful that she couldn't see my face. I was never one to talk to anyone about my emotions and having to do so made my cheeks erupt in red.

I felt her arms wrap around my waist and her sobs, although she was trying to hold them back, grew a bit louder and for a moment, we just stood there both at a lose of words.

She pulled herself away and wiped her eyes, "Will you stay for lunch? I was suppose to have company but I'm sure they'll understand."

I nodded and fallowed her into the kitchen. It was the exact same besides the corkboard that hung on the wall. It had pictures and articles of me from all sorts of magazines as well as each of my letters. There was one picture on it though that sent a stinging pain down through my chest; just not as bad as it would've a week ago I must admit.

_They made their way to the top of the stairs and Goten latched his arm through the other's before giving him a soft kiss and meeting his eyes, "Trunks, I have to tell you something," he said his eyes lost in the aquatic depths of Trunks', "I want you to know, even though you didn't want to go, that tonight means a lot to me. I wasn't going to go myself, but I am happy I decided to. I love you."_

_The lavender haired man released the other's arm and place his hands on both sides of the other's face, "I love you too," He said kissing the other softly, "I will love you forever and always. I will love you with my final breath and every second spent with you I will love you harder."_

_Trunks pulled the other's face to his and their lips mangled together before a flash hit them and they stop mid-kiss stunned._

A deep breath, I told myself as I tore my eyes from the corkboard, it was a little more then uncomfortable to have your life displayed in the kitchen of your mother, "You've been fallowing my career?"

"We all have," she said as she continued to stir a chicken curry, "The corkboard has been up there since the day the you left. When we find a picture, an article, or even get a letter from you, we hang them up."

I looked back to steal another glimpse at the board. It was at that point that I noticed a couple of postcards that I had sent via Marron to my brother and his wife, a letter congratulating them on the birth of their daughter, there was even a letter I wrote to Pan, my niece, last year on her ninth birthday.

"The whole family?" I asked still scanning over the board.

"And some friends," She said happily as she began making up plates of rice and curry, "Marron hung up quite a few old photographs of you two."

The doorbell rang and broke our conversation at that point. I moved my gaze from the board to her to see the look on her face. It was a look of fear almost. Her eyes were pointed down and her nose was slightly crinkled but she shook it off and smiled, "I'll be right back, probably just a salesman."

As she exited the room, I got up and moved closer to the board, looking at the photos and letters hung up.

"I forgot to tell you that I couldn't have you over today," I heard my mother's voice trail in from the doorway.

"He's here, isn't he?" Came a second voice, a voice that made my heart lunge from my chest into my throat, a voice I swore I would never hear again.

"He doesn't want to see you."

"I have to see him," then I heard the footsteps.

I moved back to my chair and sat down placing a look of serenity on my face. Remember Goten, you are over him, he doesn't love you, you are going to be all right; there's nothing he can do to hurt you now.

They both entered the kitchen and for a moment I swore he was glowing as if he was still my angel but I knew that the glow about him was misleading, he was not what I thought he was and he would never be.

"Goten…" his musical voice chimed in my ears and filled me with the dread and pain that I swore I was over.

I just blinked at him. In my mind I had the fight or flight reaction but I knew that either would just hurt my mother so I would pretend that I was unaffected by him, that he meant nothing to me anymore.

"Can we talk?" he said moving a step forward.

"No," the words were cold coming from my mouth, so cold that it sent a shiver down my spine, I had never expected myself to ever be this brave, "We have nothing to talk about, the past is over and I am here to have lunch with my mother."

He was taken back for a moment before he slowly sat down quietly and looked towards my mother as if pleading with her.

"You got the new stove I see Chichi," he said and for a second I swear I heard pain in his voice.

My mother's eyes gazed between the two of us as I crossed my arms and gave a small nod to show that I was fine before she replied "Yes, thank you again Trunks."

That lit a rage inside of me but I was quick to control it. I would never believe that my mother would ever accept money from this pampered ass. Without the help from his mother and that abusive asshole of a father, he couldn't keep his own feet on the ground.

I sat quietly and attempted to turn invisible as I felt the lavender haired man's eyes continuing to fall upon me. Although my attempts at invisibility went unachieved, I did however get satisfaction that I kept my eyes off him.

"So Goten, tell us about Hollywood, is it as glamorous as everyone says?" She said as she began setting the table.

"Honestly, nothing could be as glamorous as they say Hollywood is. I have to admit my neighbourhood is nice but around the sets it's a bit more beaten up…. but don't get me wrong, I love it there and the security keeps me safe when I am working," I said quietly looking down at the table.

"Working on anything big?" Trunks said holding his focus on me, almost as if he was pleading me to return his gaze.

"Yes."

My mother sat down the plates and we began eating in silence but there was still something that I wanted to know.

"Why are you even here?" I asked putting down my fork.

They both laid down their utensils and stared at me although I was still looking at my food.

"Well after you left, Trunks stayed with me," My mother spoke hesitantly, "He worked a couple of part-time jobs and put himself through university for business but every Sunday he made sure to come over for lunch with me and Bura."

I continued to stare down at my food dumbfounded. So he didn't get help from his parents to go to school, "So he put himself through school to get the job that his mother offered him."

"She didn't offer me anything!" Trunks said looking a little angry, "I was the best person for the job, I worked myself up and it wasn't my mother who gave me the job, it was my grandfather, the owner of the Capsule Corporation Industries."

"Like you weren't born to take the job," I spat out as I picked my fork back up and began to eat.

Silence fell over us again before a ringed erupted through the kitchen from Trunks pocket.

He retrieved his phone and looked at a number before excusing himself and moving into another room.

"Are you alright with this?" My mother asked me from across the table.

"Mom, I am fine, it's over, it's the past, I have a great life now, even better that I will be visiting you," I said through the lump that was forming in my throat.

After a moment Trunks burst into the kitchen his face pale, "You had Bura arrested?" he yelled towards me.

"Your girlfriend shouldn't have been stalking me the last couple of days," I said trying not to smile as I took another bite of food.

"My girlfriend?" He said in bewilderment, "Bura is not my girlfriend and no matter what kind of grudge you hold against me, you leave my family out of it!"

"Your family?" I asked finally raising my eyes to look at him.

"Yes, Bura is my sister!"

* * *

So between my many computer problems, my active social life, my countless health problems, and horrific writer's block, I have finally managed to write the next chapter. Enjoy.


	6. Chapter 6

I stared up at the stars from my spot on the roof. I remember the long ago days that I would be sitting up here with my brother beside me. The days where the smile I plastered across my face would be real and not a desperate show that I had emotions that didn't portray misery, the days before I knew what love was.

Lunch had gone to hell after Trunks left. It was finished in silence from my mother, although I was to busy convincing the hotel to drop all charges to notice, and when I was preparing to leave she insisted that I stay for dinner to see my brother and his family. What could I have said? I stayed but it was even more painful then seeing Trunks. Maybe it was just due to the fact that he seemed to be the topic of conversation.

A sigh broke my lips and I wished I could've been stronger. The last night in this town, I swore to myself as I was leaving that I would break all ties with this town but that was all a lie. I kept in contact with Marron. I used her to keep in contact with my family, to keep in contact with the life I gave up and by doing so, it had cost her life. It would've been better if I had just disappeared.

"You up there?" A voice called from the ground.

I slide forward and took a glance down to see the blue hair of the woman on the ground, "Why are you here?"

She took no time in climbing the ladder onto the roof and taking a seat a couple feet from me, "Well I would like to talk to you and I think it's the least you can do since you just had me arrested out of a vendetta against my brother."

"I'm sorry about that, I didn't know… I thought you were his wife…" I whispered out looking towards the sky.

The more I thought about it, the more I dreaded what I had done. Out of jealousy, I had had this woman arrested because I was too clueless to connect the dots, too clueless to remember that he had a sister.

"Are you prepared to listen to me at least?" She asked and just like her brother's, I could feel her piercing eyes going through me.

"I suppose, couldn't be worse then what I have heard tonight," I muttered out pulling my knees up to my chest.

"First I must tell you, I am not here because of Trunks, I am here out of my own free will… although if he had sent me I would probably say the same thing – although by adding the last bit you should feel more secure I am here on my own free will…" She trailed off for a second and I turned towards her to see her biting her lip.

"Don't worry, after today I don't think he would've bothered trying to get me to talk to him," I said laying my forehead onto my knees.

"Well, let me start at the beginning," She began as she shuffled around, "When I first saw the two of you together, it was the night of your prom. I remember taking the picture because it was the first time I had ever seen Trunks…"

It was a swift mistake but when she said his name I took a sharp gust of air in. I guess it was now nature because I knew that shortly after hearing his name it would begin to hurt again but it couldn't this time, it was already hurting.

She was quick to retract her words for different ones though, "I meant to say, it was the first time I had ever seen He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named kiss anyone and that says a lot when he had been on plenty of dates. There was something about how he looked at you that made me know his intentions towards you were pure. That night though, it was also the first time I had ever seen him cry."

I lifted my head to look towards her. She was chewing on her lip again but this time she was laying down and staring up at the stars. It almost seemed that she was trying not to make eye contact with me, maybe she knew Trunks wouldn't like her telling me all this.

"My brother was abused, both mentally and physically, for as long as I can remember but he never cried, he was too proud, always said that if it didn't kill him, it made him stronger. That night though, he didn't stop crying, he couldn't. It lasted for weeks. He would wake up and go to the washroom where both me and your mom could hear the whimpers, he would take his shower and come out looking pale and depressed but he wasn't crying. He kept telling us that he was fine but it was obvious to both of us he wasn't. He still believes that if it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger but there was a piece of him that died when you left," She paused for a second to take a deep breath and for the second she reminded me of her brother with his always inappropriate dramatic pauses.

"He strived to get to where he is today. He wanted more then anything to be able to find you, to be able to show you that he loves you but when he needed the money, he had none. By this point both Trunks and myself were living here with your mother. Our parents had cut us off from their money and he barely was able to hold down a steady job with the coarse load he had.

"When he finally finished school, he got the best paying job he could – a Capsule Corporation research and development supervisor position, and he began to spend countless amounts of money searching for you. He has pictures of you that you wouldn't believe, some that I can't imagine how they got but he has them. He hired private investigators to find you and to get information and they all found you but not one of them had the information that he wanted."

"So all those times I swear I was being watch but wrote it off as paranoia…" I muttered out quietly under my breath.

"A couple of times he went there himself to see you and every time he would come back without having said a word to you. Every time he would come back and I would hear that same muffled whimpering from behind the bathroom door.

"Goten, I know you may not believe me but the truth lies. My brother is not the villain you have made him out to be in your mind. He is honestly a good guy. My brother is in love with you and if you would even sit down with him for a few minutes, you would see that," her voice was pleading.

"So you've been stalking me since I got here in hopes that you could fix all the mistakes that happened ten years ago? Hopes that I could forget prom? Forget the embarrassment? Forget the pain?" I had my hands rolled into balls, so tight that it felt as if my skin was ripping.

"No, I came here after seeing him cry again the night you came back. I saw him crying because you looked straight at him and he saw nothing but hatred in your eyes," Her voice was a little cold but she was quick to shake it off, "All I want is for you to spend a couple of minutes talking with him."

It was my instant that won the race over my brain to my mouth, "How longs a couple?"

"Lunch at noon tomorrow at Chez Whitey," she said with a tone of accomplishment as she began to get to her feet.

"I didn't agree, you set me up!" My words broke through my lips so quickly I had to listen just like her.

"You had me arrested!" She retaliated quickly.

And there was the guild trip. At this point I was feeling two things. First was the unmistakable defeat that I would have to go now. The second was the pain that I would never be suckered into anything by Marron again.

I sighed before staring back towards the stars, "You remind me of Marron."

"You know, after you left, we became pretty close friends. She always talked about you, she was a terrific person, a great soul," I couldn't help but looked over at her as she spoke but what got me was the smile that was toying on her lips as she looked at me, "She also told me if I was ever to meet you, just to tell you that Walmart had a sale on."

That was the Marron that I loved, the Marron that I would never forget, "So that's where you got her suit!"

* * *

So there you have it. What'll come next! Oh god, i can't wait for the next update. *Is handed a letter*. What are you serious? I have to write it... GAHHH! Must start.

P.S. This chapter is dedicated to Milk Goku, who made a typo of Mule (a donkey) and mole (a rodent) and brought me to tears laughing, and Yaoidude, who pushed me forward to update and broke my writes block.

Funny note: Chez Whitney was googled as "Fancy French Restuarant Name" and given to me on yahoo answers. LOL!


	7. Chapter 7

I found myself looking at the doors with tears burning behind my eyes. I was scared and angry but at the same moment I was compelled to move forwards, to find out what I had missed after all these years.

Standing five feet away from the door of Chez Whitney was all that I could do. Was I ready to move the short distance and accept that I had forgiven him? Accept that maybe I was not as strong as I once believe I was? To finally give into that empty thudding in my chest that had attempted to pull me back here for the last ten years? My mind, my conscious, my hope had all been misplaced I guess, I was never meant to get away, no matter what I had done, I would've been coming back here eventually.

Slowly I took the first step towards the door and my mind froze, could I really do this? Could I really face him after so long of ignoring the truth? Just sit down beside him and pretend everything was fine? Could I trust that he would never hurt me again?

"_I know Trunks will never hurt you."_

It was quiet and gentle but it was that sweet voice I had longed to hear, the one that made my knees tremble and make me want to fall to the ground and scream but instead I just sighed her name and squeezed my eyes tight, "Marron…"

If she had so much faith in him maybe it was time for me to borrow some of it, to show her that she meant the world to me… to show her some much I owed to her. She was the last piece of my true life that I desperately held onto.

I took the last few steps and my hand rose towards the door but stop with the quiet words spoken behind me, "Kyle Rice?"

I sighed quietly and turn around to see a young woman leaning against a black prius, "Sorry you must have me confused with someone…"

She didn't let me finish; she cut me off with a second question, "Would you prefer if I called you Son Goten?"

I dropped my hand away from the door and took a few steps towards her, "Sorry, do I know you?" I asked trying to look as pleasant as I could while the anxiety was strongly growing in the pit of my stomach, "If you are just looking for an autograph, I don't do that crap, I am not a star…"

"You are really self conceded aren't you? I guess I should've expected as much from the asshole that ran out on Mr. Briefs ten years ago," She said without a tone of remorse as she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back onto the care behind her.

"Excuse me? How the hell do you think you are and what exactly do you want?" My words were shaking as the sting of her words reach the emptiness of my heart.

"My name is Maria, I'm Mr. Briefs' private chauffeur for when he doesn't want to be seen in the public eye," Her words were smug and as I glanced over the car the tinted windows seemed to stand out, it seemed like I had seen the car repeatedly since I had been home.

I leaned my weight onto one foot and stuck my hands into the pockets of my Armani slacks, "And why am I having such the _pleasure _of meeting you?" My words came out as a hiss.

"I'm suppose to give you a lift to your lunch date with Mr. Briefs, he would prefer something more suitable to the taste of you two."

I felt the smile pull up at the corner of my lips, "So basically, I dressed up for a nice lunch and instead I'm going to McDonald's in an Armani suit?"

"There's a change of clothes in the back seat, if you would be so _kind_ as to get in," she hissed towards me, it was as if she was hateful towards me and I wondered exactly what her relationship with Trunks was.

I removed my hands from my pockets and climbed into the car without a fight, I had just come to the conclusion that I would do this for Marron; it was pointless to delay the inevitable.

* * *

The car ride seemed to feel as if it had taken hours but in reality the ride was just long enough for me to finish struggling out of my suit and into the jeans, plain black t-shirt and the shoes that were left in the back seat. Although the time lasted forever in my mind it was impossible to prepare me for what I knew was coming, for the moment that I forgave him. Would I be able to look at him would I be able to put all the doubt out of my mind that had infected it through the last decade? Would I be able to remember the moments of happiness I had with him?

"_And I want to know, what makes your world go round."_

His angelic voice was playing through my head, the last precious moment where I knew that for certain that he loved me, that he would want me as much as I wanted him forever. Was this what I had missed? Was this more then just for the bet? Was it really him showing me how much he truly loved me?

"Can you get out of my car?" Her words were calm but I could feel the icy hatred emanating off each syllable, I couldn't help but wonder what Trunks had said that would make her hate me this much.

Without a word I stepped out of the car leaving my suit behind and shut the door just before the tires squealed behind me and the car took off leaving me standing in front of my old school.

A wave of flashes wrapped around me and I couldn't help but want to run… but I couldn't do that, I was here for Marron and pleading for her strength.

I slowly made my way across the parking lot; unaware of wear my feet were taking me but fallowing my instinct. I wanted to get this over with now fully aware that I wouldn't be able to forgive Trunks; he'd broken me, utterly and completely. I was damaged, deranged, forgotten. I was that house on the street behind yours; the one that is falling apart would've been dazzling if it had the care it needed.

I moved forward and stopped upon seeing Trunks just outside of the parking lot on the field. The place where I had carried him when he passed out, the place where he laid so quickly as my guardian angel…

_Trunks slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the face of Goten. He was laying on the soccer field with his head resting on the other's lap._

"_What are we here for?" He asked as he attempted to sit up but fell back in pain._

"_After you passed out in the hallway, I carried you down here in hope that you would wake up before we got to the car but since you weren't awake, I sat down here and waited." Goten said looking out into the distance._

"_I really am sorry…" Trunks whispered out as he stared up at Goten._

"_Shhh…." Goten said as he ran a hand through Trunks' hair, "just relax, I will get up in a moment and we can go."_

I didn't want him to get up, I liked him lying there in my lap, I wanted him to stay there forever. However distorted his intentions were, that was the moment I fell in love with him; the moment he became my everything.

I moved forward cringing at the pain that was filling my chest, the pain that was threatening to spill tears from my eyes. I have cried enough tears over him, it's time for me to sit down and face reality, tell him everything.

Reaching the grass I noticed the blanket and basket just before he looked up at me and shot my mind back into fight or flight. I needed to think this through, how would this all play out? Was it really worth it? Maybe at the end of this I would be free to live my life? Free to be alive again.

"Trunks," I said as I moved and sat across from him on the blanket, "This was not what I was thinking was meant by lunch…"

He stared at me with those piercing blue eyes and I swear the emotions I saw in his eyes were contradicting each other. I could see love and remorse but at the same time I also saw pain, fear and something else that reminded me of betrayal.

"I'm sorry if you were given the wrong intention," He said his eyes locked on me.

I sat and waited for him to begin this conversation that he wanted to have and began to count the seconds but his words did not come. Fear was running through me as my eyes stayed frozen to him, why was he taking so long? He'd been fighting desperately to talk to me over the past few days and now it was total silence, what was the reason for me being here then?

"Trunks, you wanted to talk?" I asked pulling my eyes away and looking down, the painful thudding in my chest picking up speed.

"I just need a second to think," his words were soft and muttered, clearly lost in thoughts.

I swallowed hard and prayed for some of Marron's courage, "I'm not here to let you think, I'm here to hear what you have to say that is so important."

"Well, I'm trying to figure out why I don't hate you," his words were not calculated like how I expected them and hearing his words sent new shocks through my heart breaking off more pieces.

"I don't believe I've done anything to make you hate me, I believe I should be the hateful one…" I spoke calmly as possible keeping my eyes low, trying to keep my voice even as my mind broke into a mad dash telling me to run; telling me there was no waking up this time.

"No, I don't think you should be the hateful one, I think I have my fair share of things to be hateful for…" his words were gentle but still his piercing gaze was burning me, "You were the one that left me, hurt me, destroyed me in a sense. You left me standing there in the parking lot. I stood there for hours searching for you. I waited every day for you to come back to me and never even got a word from you. I read every letter to everyone else and was never mentioned. I fallowed you to California and saw you smiling at everyone else but couldn't speak to you because I didn't want to hurt you. You've embarrassed me, humiliated me, hated me, hurt me, held a grudge against me and pulled my family into your vindictive plan to get revenge upon me…" His words were tense and angry then suddenly he became silent causing me to raise my head just to see what he was doing.

His fingers were pressed to the bridge of his nose and his eyes were closed as if he was fighting with his thoughts, as if he was trying this time to calculate how to say the next part, "And for the life of me, I just can't figure out why I love you still."

His hand dropped and his eyes opened to meet mine again. Could his words be sincere? Could he actually still feel this way after so long? I know that the painful throb in my chest proved that I loved him but wasn't I the victim in this whole mess?

"You've caressed each thought in my mind for years because of the doubt I feel whether you'd ever return, whether you'd ever hear my apology and whether you could ever love me like I've loved you for so long so now my doubts have come to rest…" he turned his attention away from me but my eyes stayed locked on him, he was fighting with himself again, "But I need to hear it, do you still love me?"

I stared towards him. His eyes were locked out in the distance, he lip was between his teeth and I could see the tears shining in his eyes, the tears that threatened to spill over at any moment. He was hurting but could the scars of the past ever truly be forgotten?

The throb in my chest was not hurting but my heart had leaped into my throat. I knew what I had to say and the pain would be gone forever. I would never wake up again to the nightmare of him hurting me, to the nightmare of losing him. I just had to tell him how I felt. Whether it was possible for me to ever forgive him.

* * *

Next chapter is currently being written. I know it has been ages since I worked on this story and to be completely honest, I was going to give up on this story because DBZ is a dieing fandom but As much as those readers want to know how this ends, I guess I do to because I have yet to figure it out.

I have been working on another story, hasn't been posted yet but I think my next fandom will be Uragirl wa boku no namae wo shitteiru. If you haven't checked out the anime, do so, it's great.


	8. Chapter 8

I pushed my body back to feel more of the glorious heat emanating from his body. After uncountable times of dreaming of what our first time would be like, it was blissful to have it fully suppress all of my expectations. It was magical, bewildering and intense; like nothing else in the world, nothing could explain the feeling of what had just happened.

"It was worth waiting for," his angelic voice whispered into my ear as he kissed the back of my neck and wrapped his arms tighter around me.

If someone had told me that I would be laying next to Trunks Brief's on a Monday evening, I would've called them delusional but here I was still glowing from after bliss, "You've been waiting for our first time too?"

He chuckled as he kissed upon the back of my neck again, "Not just our first time together, my first time ever," His words were soft and I couldn't help but hang on those words. He had waited for me.

* * *

_The throb in my chest was not hurting but my heart had leaped into my throat. I knew what I had to say and the pain would be gone forever. I would never wake up again to the nightmare of him hurting me, to the nightmare of losing him. I just had to tell him how I felt. Whether it was possible for me to ever forgive him._

_I swallowed hard forcing my heart down again, "For the last ten years I've been holding my chest together, forcing myself into this man the everyone wants me to be but the one I wanted to be…" I sighed in deeply and held it for a second, "The man I wanted to be was the one that was here with you. I wish I had known about what was happening and what's worse is that I did… Marron had told me and I didn't believe her… I do believe her now even if her words are not her own."_

_His eyes pulled away from the distance and met mine again, "I tried to call it off, I didn't want to make the bet…"_

"_Just stop, I am not finished," I bit down on my lip for a second and dropped my gaze, "Last night your sister came and spoke to me, told me things I am sure you would get annoyed by but they meant the world to me." I had to say everything, he needed to hear it and I needed to say it, "I came here to put you in your place. To tell you that I couldn't forgive you…."_

_He turned his head away from me as I looked back up, "I understand, I hurt you and I knew it was something like this, I will leave you alone then."_

"_Fuck preppy! Let me finished," my words even took me by surprise, I hadn't thought of him as preppy for the whole time I was gone and hearing the word escape my lips hit me hard, "I wanted to tell you that I couldn't forgive you but I can't tell you I don't love you… and I guess by admitting that I have to forgive you."_

_He turned quickly towards me; his eyes were showing nothing more then confusion, "You'll… forgive me?" he said just as his lips started curving up into a smile that went straight to his eyes and let the tears fall._

_I nodded slowly and got onto my knees as I slowly leaned forward and pressed my lips against his; it felt like I was finally home._

_His hands reached up and pulled me forward into his lap without breaking our long awaited kiss. In a moment like this nothing could separate us and I knew that my heart had instantly been healed._

* * *

"You were a virgin?" The words slipped from my mouth as the smile appeared on my face.

"Yes," he said loosening his arms and kissing along my shoulder, "I know you had given up hope on me but I never lost hope in you. I wanted to hear that you didn't love me first, I wanted to know that all hope was gone before I found someone else I would want to be so intimate with."

He had been having me fallowed for years, he knew about what I had done and he was alright with it, something I was thankful of, "Well, I guess I am your best then, I would have to place you up in the top ten on my list… maybe third…" The teasing words felt so natural again, felt so alive and free now that I was happy again. I was actually smiling again without a mask.

With no warning, he turned me on my back and climbed on top of me pinning my hands above my head and kissing along my collar bone, "I guess I have to try harder next time," his voice was mocking and smug, it was the exact way it used to sound, every tone was there, the happiness hidden beyond each word, "But for the rest of the night, I just want to lay with you and talk, I want to know everything I have missed," he said as he released my hands and laid onto my chest.

I moved my arms down and wrapped them around his shoulders, "Hmmm, everything you missed with Son Goten… Nope, you missed nothing. He left and disappeared and just suddenly appeared now in this moment," There was no end to this well of happiness, my sarcastic and mockery was returning with new fire.

"Oh really? Glad I never lost my Goten but what happened with Kyle Rice?" He asked with as his warm breath caressed my bare chest.

I sighed quietly and began to run my fingers along the back of his neck, "You won't give up until I tell you?"

"Not a chance," I could feel his smug smile on my chest.

"Fine then…" I said wondering were to start, "I guess the place to start would be my notebook on the bus, not anything practical, just something I grabbed at the bus stations concession stand."

* * *

_I stared at the blank pages before me. Just like the notebook, this was my chance at starting a new life. I could start from scratch and the first thing I would have to do was…_

_My hand started to write and in no more then the time it would've taken me to think it, my list of my new life had been made._

_Find a place to live_

_Cut all ties from previous life_

_Create a new name_

_Become successful_

_Find actual happiness_

* * *

"What a cliché list…" He muttered under his breathe, "So you created Kyle Rice."

"At that point, I had nothing so I wasn't afraid of losing anything. I gambled my look and fortunately for me, I had a place to live in only hours of being in Hollywood. I moved in with three roommates that were all nice enough, they were all wanna-be actors with no talent and working random second jobs. One, who did a musical, hooked me up with a job and I built my life from there," I would've said more but there wasn't anything else to say really. As interesting as the media made my life sound, it was not all that interesting, nothing Cribs would ever show.

"Do you still talk to your old roommates at all?" He asked looking up at me.

"Why would I? The last time I spoke to them they just wanted to use me for contacts, there was never a friendship with them, just a convenience," It sounds a little cold but it was true, after my break they tried to use me and I had already learned against that.

"What about your love life?" He said and I could tell this was the question he was leaning towards the whole time.

"The only love life I had was in high school, gorgeous guy, never got over him," I said smiling down at him and kissing the top of his head, "Kyle Rice only had a sex life, one night stands, never more then that."

"I'm glad you are home," and with those words I knew he didn't mean this town, I knew he meant that my home was with him, in his arms because that was exactly where we belonged, together.

I'm not sure how long we laid in the position before we fell asleep but morning seemed to come much too soon. Light filled the room and I awoke from a dream into yet another one.

Trunks laid on my chest just the way he did last night, he was so beautiful and precious in just that single moment that I couldn't imagine my life without him.

"Papa!" The voice carried in from the hallway.

I looked down at Trunks, who was now fully awake, and then moved my eyes towards the door. I was confused and the anxiety was overwhelming. I could feel my heart breaking the second the call sounded again.

"Papa! You home?" Her voice was young and sounded completely innocent.

I pushed him away from me. I couldn't believe what was happening. I had fallen in his trap again, I had believed his every word and now I had proven to be a fool yet again.

"Goten stop, let me explain!" He shouted trying to grab my arm as I pulled on my clothes.

"Trunks, you lied to me again and I was fucking stupid enough to believe it!" I screamed grabbing my shoes and moving towards the door, "You will never fucking learn will you? You never gave a shit and now it's final… You got your fuck, congratulations!"

I moved out of the bedroom door and looked upon the young girl. She had black hair hanging down her back, pale lips and a pale complexion, she didn't remind me anything of Trunks but nonetheless, he was her papa.

"What are you doing here?" Maria's voice was harsh and I adjusted my eyes to fall on her. She had the same pale lips and complexion, the only difference between the two was that Maria's hair was golden blonde, how could I have missed it. Maria was Trunks wife.

"Leaving," It was all I could say, it was all that would come out, if I said anymore I would break out in tears.

"Goten stop and listen," Trunks said bursting out of the room with a bad sheet hanging around him.

"Papa?" The little girl asked looking around at the three of us.

"Trunks I am done listening! There's nothing I want to hear from you anymore, nothing you say means shit! You just can't stop lieing!" I made my way for the door but his hand caught around my wrist and stopped me.

"Will you just listen for one min…"

"Let go of me now…" My words were calmer then they should be, I think this is the moment everything hit home and finally I accepted the fact that he did not love me, wasn't that enough to let me start my life finally?

"No, not until you listen," He screamed with a panic in his voice.

I felt as if I was a bystander watching as multiple things happened at once. First, my fist came forward into Trunks jaw, second, the young girl screamed for her papa and started to ball, and finally, Maria jumped to the floor beside Trunks and made sure he was alright.

"This is exactly why I didn't want you here!" Maria screamed out at the top of her lungs, "I know the full fucking story about the two of you and I knew you could never accept us. You want to act as if you are perfect and the victim but you are fucking trash!"

I turned and opened the door in a calm manner, "I would rather be trash then scum, that's exactly what you are Trunks," I walked through the threshold of the door, turning only enough to close it and see Trunks staring at me with a mortified look on his face.

* * *

I have nothing to say about this chapter really except that all will be explained. Next chapter is written and waiting to be posted...


	9. Chapter 9

"You can't just leave like this," Uub was frantic, he was running along side me in the hotel room trying to stop me but something seemed to stop him from doing so, obviously he had already talked to Trunks, "Goten, her wedding is in five hours and I need you there,"

I wanted to be there, I wanted to be the one beside him to help him through this because I knew that no one else would know him pain except me, it wasn't just him losing a piece of his spirit but also me.

"Uub," I said turning towards him and stopping completely, "I know how hard this is for you but I also know what kind of person you are. You were a stone pillar for Marron, you always kept her grounded, and you always have that effect on the people around you. I know that times are tough for you and I wish I could stay but there are really only two possibilities here. One is that I end up in the same position I was in two weeks ago and the other is I wined up in jail. I did just assault a millionaire."

"Trunks wouldn't do that," He shouted out quickly, "you know he wouldn't."

"No, you are wrong there," I said putting my hands onto his shoulders, "Trunks' father was an abusive asshole, he beat Trunks daily from what I know and if he has learned anything from it, he will do something."

I turned around and started to pack the last of my things. It seemed strange leaving again. The last time I left I felt like I had no life here but this time I can see it all, I can see my brother and his wife, my niece, my mother, Uub and most importantly, I finally got the closure I finally needed. Trunks never loved me.

"Goten, the kids…"

He stopped as I dropped everything I was holding. The kids? Trunks has more then one? Anger seemed to sneak up my spine but I was quick to stop it. I didn't love him and he didn't love me, who was I to care about the kids.

"Uub, if you say anything about the kids or his wife, I will not be in such a pleasant mood…" I sighed pinching the bridge of my nose, "Anyways it's too late for all of this, it's all over."

I scrambled to pick up my fallen object and stuff them into my duffle bag before standing back up and looking at Uub, "Things are going to be different this time. I don't want to lose contact with anyone."

"Goten, really, I wish that you would stay," He was looking down and I could see he was holding back something but as to what it was I was not interested.

"You know that I can't but I do want you to come and visit me sometime," I said placing a hand on his shoulder, "Whenever you are ready, just give me a call and I will arrange everything, you deserve a vacation."

"Yeah, I guess that sounds okay," He sighed out maybe giving up the last hope he had.

We walked downstairs and through the lobby in silence, it was refreshing really, it seemed like everything had fallen into place after all. Trunks was the big-shot millionaire president of capsule corporation and I was once again the misfit of the town, fate has finally been repaired.

I walked slowly towards the taxi with Uub beside me, "Well, I guess this is goodbye for now," I said as I held out my hand.

"Take care of yourself," He said quietly as he took my hand.

I slowly released his hand and threw my duffle bag in the backseat before pulling a letter out of my back pocket, "Listen, this is for Trunks and I will not ask you to give it to him unless you feel comfortable with it."

He took the letter from my hand and gave me a half-smile, "I will make sure he gets it."

That was it. There was nothing left for me to say here. I climbed into my taxi and I was off to the airport.

* * *

I arrived back is Los Angeles twelve hours later and although a little jet lagged everything seemed to fall right back into place but with a new aspect. I found myself going out with a few co-workers through the next few weeks and even went on a date, although nothing would come of that since the guy was a complete douche. Everything had finally returned to normal.

It was just a typical Sunday afternoon in Hollywood, the sun was burning outside, high humidity and no place to hide except on your couch with the air conditioner blaring out a breeze. A perfect day if I do say so myself.

I had arranged with my family to visit over Christmas, another four months till then and I had Uub visiting in a couple of weeks but until then all I had to do was lay back and finish off my book.

I sighed and glanced towards the television mounted on the wall across the room to see a picture of Trunks on the screen. A smile broke across my face as I felt no pain in my chest at all. The empty throbbing that had occurred over the last ten years had not come back since I'd been home, almost four weeks now. It was nice to finally get my clean start.

I had to admit though, it did feel like something was missing from my life and I came to the conclusion that I needed a pet. The only real question I had was whether I wanted to get a dog or a reptile.

I pulled my book back up the smiling playing across my lips - nothing could spoil this day.

The doorbell sounded and I sat bolt upright, "Yeah yeah, I know. You tempt fate and she will seek her revenge."

I hobbled to the door and opened it using one hand because I was refusing to put down my book, "Whatever you are selling, I am really not interested."

But when the door fully opened I stood horrified. It wasn't a salesman or a deliveryman; it was worse… worse then even a pushy Jehovah witness, "What do you want?"

"We need to talk, now open the fucking door and let me in," Her voice was icy cold and her eyes showed pure hatred. Maria stood there looking as annoyed as ever.

* * *

Omg? Who the fuck is this psycho-bitch? Termabitchor maybe? Next chapter will reveal it all! Stay tuned.


	10. Chapter 10

"What the fuck do you have to say?" I shouted out through clenched teeth, why was she here? Did you actually think this would do any good? Trunks had begun lieing to me right off the start and now that I was finally healing, this shit happens?

"Let's talk inside, it's too hot out here," She spoke in a casual tone looking over her shoulder towards the neighbours house.

I took a moment to look her over; she was dress very wrong for this weather. She had on jeans with leather boots and what looked like a long sleeve t-shirt under a heavy looking leather jacket.

"Why didn't you dress accordingly then?" I said for a second forgetting my hostility for a moment, "Anyways I don't assume your husband would appreciate us talking."

"He's not my husband!" She shouted out before turning her head away and dropping her eyes to stare at the ground, "Goten, I need to tell you something."

"_Goten, I have to tell you something…" Marron said dropping her eyes to stare at the table. What was she going to say exactly? No matter what words she was to pick, it was going to hurt him and he would probably get angry with her. _

"_What? Did the play scenery get a bad review?"_

It was the exactly same look that Marron had before telling him about the bet. At that time though I considered comical relief and tried to take the tension away or maybe I just didn't want to hear it then because I knew I would be hurt. Maybe that's why I didn't want to here this, maybe I was just to stubborn to face reality.

I stepped back from the door, "You have ten minutes, after that I am just throwing you out, if you don't leave after that, I'll call the cops," I said walking back into the living room with my book in hand.

She walked in casually and closed the door but stopped when she entered the living room, "I guess I should start at the beginning," She said and began removing her jacket.

"Keep it on, you aren't staying long."

She dropped her jacket to the ground and met my eyes, "I am telling you the full story and for you to see it, you need to see the memories," she said as her hands hooked around the bottom of her t-shirt.

I put a hand over my eyes and quickly turned away, "Listen, I really don't need to see you naked, I don't know what you are trying to achieve here but this is not the way to do so, please keep your clothes on."

"I am wearing my bra and if you want to know who I am, you do have to look at me," She said in a tone that had a shred of discretion and almost fear in it, "Please look."

"Will it get you out of my house any faster?" I asked with a few doubts in my head. This could all be a set up but what else did I have to lose?

"I will leave as soon as you here the story," Her tone was flat, it almost sounded unemotional, like she had dropped all her emotions just to protect herself.

I removed my hands and turned towards her before letting out a gasp. I would've said she had a beautiful body except for the scars that riddled over every inch of her once covered flesh. Some where long and thin resembling a whip, others were small and circular as if there were cigarette put out on her, there were so many all over her body.

"What… what happened to you?" I stuttered out half-disgusted and half-crazed. I didn't like this woman but at the same time no person deserved to go through such things. I couldn't help but wonder what happened before a thought occurred and I was on my feet, "Did Trunks do this to you?"

A smile hit her lips, "Please sit and let me explained," She spoke quietly as her hands twisted the fabric of her t-shirt. The look on her face was that of pure agony, torment and even embarrassment.

I sat down and nodded for her to begin once again.

"My name is Maria Isabella LeBlanc, I was the daughter of a wealthy French business man," She said with a sigh, "I am now eighteen years old and have been living with Mr. Briefs since I was fourteen.

"Growing up I was the one everyone watched, I was the little girl that everyone envied except they did not know the whole picture, the picture only looked good from the outside. At home my father was a vicious drink but would never hurt a hair on my mother's head, mine though," she said looking down towards her body, "my head meant nothing to him.

"At a young age I had to grow up, at the age of twelve my parents had a second child, Sophia," Her eyes met mine.

"She's your sister?" I asked in wonder.

Maria gave me a little smile that did not reach anywhere near her eyes and a slight nod, "Yes. From the age of twelve I became overly protective of her making sure that my father never had a chance to be within two feet of her, it was my job to keep her safe since my mother didn't care just as long as we looked good for the cameras.

"Mr. Briefs came into the picture just under five years ago. My father invited him over to our house for dinner, hoping to end a business deal but showing him what a wonderful family we were. We were all told to dress in our best clothes and to aim to impress Mr. Briefs. We were told to act civilized as we do in front of cameras.

"I was preparing for the evening, dressing in my best dress and planning to wear a sweater over it to hide my arms and shoulders knowing my father would be quite upset if Mr. Briefs saw my damage…

"I was carrying my sweater with me through the house, it was a hot day so I didn't want to wear it any longer then necessary. It was a big house, couldn't hear someone knock from the entertainment room. That's where it all happened…"

I could see the horror in her face as she pulled up her old memories and I wanted to tell her to stop but I couldn't. I knew that I needed to hear this, I needed to know what happened and a part of me was calling me sadistic for having to fulfill my own curiosity with her pain.

"My father was giving a tour to Mr. Briefs and lead him into the entertainment room. Mr. Briefs' eyes immediately fell on my exposed skin and a look or terror and rage filled his eyes. My father fallowed his eyes to me and all hell broke loss. My father moved swiftly forward and smacked me to the ground before reaching for his belt," She squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head away, "Thankfully he didn't get it off though. Mr. Briefs had already knocked him to the ground and took a protective stance over me. I screamed for my sister and he was quick to comply."

I was in a state of horror. I would've never imagined something so intense and brutal had happened. This woman seemed a little angry but with the torment she had been put through she should be so much worse in my opinion.

"To sum up the story, Mr. Briefs got my sister and myself out of that house. Made an international adoption and put a lot of money into it so he could finish the matter within a couple of weeks. He's been a father to us, although I could never call him my father due to the fact of what a father means to me, but my sister recognizes him as a father."

I could feel my heart drop into my chest, could feel the pain circling my heart and the empty throbbing I had once escaped, "I'm so sorry…" It was all I could say, I was at a loss for words.

She smiled and began to put her shirt back on, "It wasn't for a couple of years until I learned about Mr. Briefs father and with that story came his guardian angel, who had run off on him," Her eyes locked with mine.

"I know I behaved irrationally and was partially responsible for the mess but I was worried about him. He would act as if the perfect guardian through the day but in the evenings, long after Sophia had fallen asleep, I would hear him crying," Her words were sympathetic and a wave of guilt washed over me, "Those sounds died off though. His habits changed and he would just sit late into the night staring at your photographs. I was so terrified that he would for back to the state he was in if you came back, thought that maybe you wouldn't want my sister and I around… That you would through us out from the only real home we've ever had."

I climbed to my feet and stared at her, "I'm sorry," I said and moved forward and wrapped my arms around her, "You didn't deserve that and I am happy that you are happy now."

She didn't hug me back but just stood there silently for a moment before speaking again, "I'm not happy though."

I was taken a back and released my arms from around her to place them on her shoulders, "What's wrong, do you need some help?"

She turned here head away again and fixed it on a small coffee table, "He's crying again…"

Trunks was crying again? The images of those few days when I went back were flooding through my head. Ever word said to me about him, his words, his lies? Were they lies? Was there anything there that could be taken as a lie? He was telling the truth.

"I'm so sorry…" I whispered out now pulling my eyes away and fighting as tears of realization threatened to spill.

Trunks loved me. He really did love me. He wanted me back. Well he had wanted me back. Did he still?

She lifted her hand and pushed my head to look at her, "You owe me nothing after how hideous I acted towards you but I must make a request," her voice was shaky and frightened but she swallowed hard and continued, "Would you please go back to see him, if not for him, for my sister! I am already damaged from my previously life but she isn't, she doesn't remember and I couldn't stand her seeing the man she considers her father so upset… Please Goten."

I stopped there dazed and confused. Go back? Now? I had to see him again but I couldn't just pick up and leave like this. I had a life! Well… kind of. I had a job! That meant next to nothing to me at this moment. I had friends now! But I didn't love anyone of them yet…

"When's your flight," I asked with a sigh of defeat, I had to go back and this time, it would be me begging for Trunks' love again.

"Well, that's the thing…" She muttered quietly, "I kind of only had the money for a one-way flight and I didn't want to let Mr. Briefs worry about me, so I kind of don't have a flight back…"

I felt a twitch in my cheek, how could this girl act so stupid and reckless, leaving her home without any idea of what she was going to do? What if I had slammed the door in her face? She was just like me…

* * *

So it was a rough chapter, felt a little sick writing it myself but without the back-story it doesn't make sense… Ummm… I don't know what to say… there will be one more chapter after this one and then an epilogue.


	11. Chapter 11

The flight was not only expensive but also quite uncomfortable. Maria had neglected to mention her phobia of flying although she claimed it wasn't so much the flying of the chance of plummeting to the ground in a huge flaming wreckage… needless to say it was more then enough to make more than a little nervous myself through the twelve hours.

We made our way from the plane to her car and the fight between driving began there. She had insured me that she was more qualified for driving then me, told me she had taken advanced driving tactical courses, the ones for bodyguards used for avoiding gunfire, and stunt driving courses… of course these did little to insure any comfort in the dense airport traffic and painted a very colourful image of a flaming wreckage on the road. I was definitely the one that was going to drive.

"Quick you can fit in there, go before…" She trailed off again with a loud sigh, "You had an opening, you could've made it, we would already be gone if you let me drive."

I couldn't help but smile as I thought back on the days that Marron had always tried to drive my car, all the ways she tried to bribe and con me to get behind the wheel, "I am sure if you were driving there would be a lot of cuss words flying and fingers flailing, that's not something I want to see," I murmured out just loud enough for her to hear, "I'm expecting that from Trunks when I see him."

"You really do love him don't you?" She asked though she kept her eyes forward as if pretending the answer I gave did not matter either way.

I slowly inched the car forward waving out the window as a Good Samaritan stopped to allow me to pull out, "I do… he's always been the only one out there for me…"

"What's it like?" She asked quietly putting her elbow up onto the window frame and leaning on her hand trying to give off a don't care sense but there was so much energy coming off her it was impossible.

I took a quick glance over before adjusting my eyes back on the road, "I'm probably not the best person to answer that question… it's been painful and horrible for the last ten years… do you mind if I ask what he's like?"

With another glance over I saw her blushing but she was quick to look out the window, "It's nothing I don't think, it's just someone who's in my class."

"So you're dating him?"

I heard the sigh, "No… he's asked me but I keep saying no," I could hear the pain in her voice, there was something else to this story, "I'm just not beautiful enough for him."

"What do you mean?" The accusation she made was so off base, any guy would be lucky to have her.

"I… I'm just not as beautiful as he deserves… we wouldn't work out…" She said in a lifeless tone, completely devoid of all emotion.

I started forward in shock, "Maria, you are a gorgeous young lady and if your opinion of beauty is something that does not include yourself then I cannot imagine the high standards of that group."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw her hand reach up to a run over the scars under the clothing of her shoulder and onto her chest but no words fallowed. She considered her scars to be hideous and ugly and hide them as she did with her pain.

"There's a woman I work with in Los Angeles, she works with special effects make-up, called her in a couple of times on projects. Well… I don't want to get to far into it but she was involved in a terrible accident; got in an accident on a motorcycle. She's got scars covering up the left side of her body but never once has she thought of herself as anything less then beautiful and I would completely agree with her," I took the chance to risk another glance and she looked indifferent, "I would love to have her meet you sometime."

The car turned into a ring of silence and I sat there with creeping flashes of what may be to come. I didn't know what would happen but my pessimistic attitude was affecting every thought that I had.

"So you just graduated?" I asked looking over at her with my pleading eyes, trying to tell her I needed a distraction from what was to come.

She sighed and put her hands into her lap looking back out the window, "No, I am a year behind, it took sometime to adjust when we moved here."

"What do you think you will do after?"

She looked down for a moment and sighed, "Maybe something in social work, something to stop people like my father…"

I forced a smile knowing that in a normal state I would've been happy to hear so but in the current state I was so emotionally numb that emotions were a myth in my mind, "You would be good at it… except maybe that cold stare you have, it might be a bit much…"

She turned towards me and I kept my eyes straightforward, I could feel the stare and instantly I regretted saying anything. I had hoped she would've passed it as a joke but obviously she picked up on the shred of truth in my voice.

"Anything you want to ask me?" I asked trying to sound a little casual, "After all, I plan to be in your life for as long as I can."

"Yes," she said quietly and I saw a hand retrieve a letter from her pocket, "Why the hell did you give this to Mr. Briefs."

I looked over for a second before moving my eyes back onto the slow moving line-up. The letter I had written. The one that seemed to make perfect sense at the moment but now looking back it was just another mistake on my behalf, had Trunks ever made a mistake with me?

_I sat there staring at the paper before me and knew what had to be done. This time I wasn't going to leave my life; he wasn't going to chase me away from it all this time. I was going to leave on my terms._

* * *

'_Trunks,_

_The past has laid out a story for us. We were never meant to cross paths and by doing so we destroyed the lives around us. We destroyed the order of how things should've happened._

_If our paths have never crossed, you would still be with your parents, a stubborn ass that you always were, I would have memories with my friends and family that I missed out on and Marron would still be around. I cannot blame you for these things because they are as much my fault as yours but reality shows that it would've been a lot better._

_You've used me, hurt me, lied to me and completely destroyed me to a point where I cannot continue to dream of the thought of your love. Time may not heal all wounds but over the past few days I believe that any love I had for you is gone. I will be moving on with my life and I must suggest you do the same because I am not coming back to you. Not ever._

_Goten'_

_I stared at the letter and sighed. That was it. There was nothing left to do._

* * *

"I was just angry about the whole misunderstanding," I spoke in the quietest voice that I could manage, "Sometimes during… err… in the heat of the moment, things are said and not meant… I jumped to the conclusion that he was lieing to me again.

"So he said something when you two were fucking and you assumed it was 'in the heat of the moment'?" She asked turning her attention towards me.

"Well I didn't want to say it that blunt but yes," I could feel the crimson burn spreading across my cheeks, "I was idiotic, I should've listened, I should've learned to do that much by now.

A sigh broke her lips and the words fell out calmly although I could hear the hidden anger, "He read it repeatedly day after day for a couple of weeks…"

"I'm sorry…" I whispered out knowing that my words were cheap, "I promise I will do whatever I can to fix it."

She didn't respond but her fingers crumbled the paper in them and silence once again fell on the car. I could've tried to restart the conversation but any reminder of the damage I had already caused was most unappreciated at the moments, not only for her but also for the growing lump in my throat and the tears that burnt behind my eyes.

I turned onto the freeway and my foot seemed to hit the gas a bit harder then I wanted because the cars were flying by. I had no idea what I was going to say or what I was going to do but I knew that I had to say and do something; I knew that he wasn't going to wait around for me forever and I needed to show him that this time I was here to stay.

I guess there has to be some unwritten law of karma that says when you want time to slow downs it must go faster. The usual twenty-minute drive from the airport into town seemed to take only seconds and the ride from the border of town to Trunks' house seemed to be non-existent because before I knew the first words I was going to say we were already there.

I cut the engine and turned towards Maria with pleading eyes to she that she was already climbing out of the car, "Come on, we need to go in, you need to talk to him," She said as she stood up and turned her eyes to me.

I just froze with my eyes locked on the steering wheel. Who was to say that I hadn't ruined any chance I had at true happiness? I knew that he was the only one for me and with I've acted the past decade, did I even deserve him?

"I don't think I can do this? I don't know what I could possibly…"

"Shut the fuck up and get out of my car, this is my family and you are going to do what has to be done," her eyes locked on mine and knocked the breathe out of me.

"You're right," My words slipped out when, for a second, I saw Marron screaming at me and although it was depressing, it was needed – she were here to help me.

I opened my door and climbed out taking a couple deep breathes before fallowing behind Maria towards the house. It still seemed much to soon to come face to face with him. He had read my letter… maybe even taken it to heart? I had told him to move on, told him I wouldn't be coming back and here I was once again… here to put him life back on halt until my next freak-out… No, there would never be another because I could not be without him - I would win him back… I hope….

She opened the door and calmly made her way inside with me right at her heals. Time to face my maker….

She closed the door behind me and without even a glance in my direction moved to the staircase before calling up, "Mr. Briefs, can you come down here please."

"Maria!" I heard his voice fallowed by a series of footsteps from overhead, "Where have you been? You left with no word and your cell phone has been turned off the whole time, I was about to call the national…" But when his eyes fell upon me, his voice trailed off.

I wasn't sure which was worse, the wonder in his eyes or the silence that suffocated everything around us. He stood motionless and all I could do was stare back at his glorious form. He was my personal sun… his rays were so beautiful that you would rather be blinded then look away, it was the first piece of true happiness I had experienced since prom night, the first moment I have had without doubts.

Maria move gracefully towards me and stepped between the two of us giving me a moment to escape the mystical feeling that had suppressed all my senses, "Just speak from your heart and it will be alright," she whispered out and stepped aside.

I stepped forward one small step and forced the lump down my throat before beginning to speak, "I'm an idiot Trunks!" I started a slow pace forward and quickly picked my next words, "I jumped to conclusions again, I became enraged and whether or not reality my mind raced to conclusions. I was too cowardly to face you again to get the full story and I screwed up again. I'm so sorry that I hurt you yet again," I stopped at the foot of the stairs staring straight up at him.

I stared up at him as he took a step onto the next stair and kept his eyes locked on me, "You scared my daughters, you hurt me, and you ran again."

"And I'm sorry. I know the full story and I would never have realized my life would never be complete without you if not for the bravery of your daughter…" I gave a quick glance towards Maria then turned swiftly back to Trunks.

He took another step closer and crossed his arms over his chest, "What will I do next time?"

"Should I assume that means there will be a next time?" I said climbing onto the first step.

"Fuck no… why would I want to be with a freak like you?" He had the smile toying on the edge of his lips - my smile; the smile he did for my benefit.

"Because this freak will love you more then anyone else could possible love you, preppy," I climbed another couple of stairs and froze only four away from him, "and because no matter how many lives we destroy and fuck up, I can't imagine a life without you being in it, living doesn't make any sense without you."

"You talk to me," he said as he moved down the last few steps till he was on the same on as me.

I wanted to tell him so much, I wanted to remember this moment, the moment that we were together again without a chance of anything coming between us. I wanted to make sure he knew that every second of my life from this second on would be meant for him but I couldn't. His hand had wrapped around the back of my neck and pulled my lips into his.

I moved my hands onto his waist and finally the butterflies I always had when I was with him had returned. The happiness was creeping over me and I was sure that this was forever, that this would be my happily ever after – no matter how many people's life's would be destroyed.

* * *

Epilogue is coming shortly, just need to finish writing it. For those who like bleach I have been think about a new story and have got more or less ideas floating in my head and I would love someone to work them out with me. If you might be interested send me a PM and we'll go from there.


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